Archbishop Wood among four Catholic League teams to reach PIAA title game
Philadelphia is again the center of basketball in Pennsylvania.
Six District 12 teams, including four from the Philadelphia Catholic League, have made it to next week’s PIAA boys basketball championship games at Hershey’s Giant Center.
Two of the state finalists, Archbishop Wood in Class 6A and Devon Prep in 3A, own wins over Reading High. Wood eliminated the Red Knights last week in the second round; Prep beat the Red Knights 75-71 at the Geigle in December.
Just one returning champ, Our Lady of Sacred Heart in Class 2A, has made it back to the championship game.
Wood, the third-place team out of District 12, advanced to the final with a 56-54 win over District 7 champ Fox Chapel. The Vikings will play District 12 champ Roman Catholic, which advanced with a 53-41 win over District 1 champ Lower Merion.
Archbishop Wood and Roman will play for the 6A championship Saturday at 7:30 at Giant Center, the last of six boys championships, which begin Thursday and continue Friday. Roman won PIAA championships in 2015 and 2016.
Roman Catholic tied West Catholic for first place in the Catholic League. Archbishop Wood finished third, Neumann-Goretti fourth and Devon Prep seventh.
Wood lost last year’s final to Reading High 58-57. It knocked out the Red Knights 64-58 last week.
In Class 5A, District 12 champ Imhotep Charter of the Public League will meet District 7 runner-up New Castle in the championship Friday at 7:30. Imhotep advanced with a 66-41 win over District 1 champ Chester; New Castle beat Gateway 59-39.
In Class 4A, District 12 champ Neuman-Goretti advanced with a 77-50 win over District 2 champ Dallas. Goretti will play unbeaten District 7 champ Quaker Valley (27-0) Thursday at 7:30. Quaker Valley beat Archbishop Carroll 67-60 in the semifinals. Carroll had eliminated Berks Catholic in the opening round.
In Class 3A, District 12 third place Devon Prep has reached its first PIAA championship game after beating District 2 champ Holy Redeemer 73-72 in overtime. Devon Prep will play District 7 third-place Aliquippa Saturday at 2:30. Aliquippa beat South Allegheny 57-55 in the semifinals.
In Class 2A, District 1 champ Constitution and District 7 champ OLSH meet for the second straight year. OLSH prevailed 62-49 last year. They’ll play again Friday at 2:30.
In Class 1A, District 4 champ St. John Neumann will face District 7 champ Bishop Canevin Thursday at 2:30. Neumman knocked off defending champ Nativity 82-60; Canevin beat Elk County 47-21.
Last year’s champs: Class 6A, Reading High; Class 5A, Cathedral Prep; Class 4A, Allentown Central Catholic; Class 3A, Loyalsock; Class 2A, OLSH; and Class 1A, Nativity.